Category Archives: non-church movement

It’s Time For Interactive Church Services!

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Steve Simms

People living in our 21st Century culture of constant interactive media, need more than a passive, authoritarian, spectator church service.  Maybe they need engagement and participation!  Perhaps a church service needs to be more than a Sunday morning love lecture.  … Continue reading →

Posted in interactivity, love lecture, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, participation, participation in church, participatory church, participatory culture, participatory sermons, sermon, sermon-free, simple church, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Do You Ever Get The Hear-Another-Sermon-Blues?

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

Do you ever get the hear-another-sermon-blues?  Well, don’t fret.  I can’t find the word “sermon” in the Bible.  Can you? When you regularly share with others about what God is saying to you and about what He is doing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, blues, Darryl M. Erke, Ernest F. Scott, Nashville, Nashville church, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, nonconforming, open church, participatory church, quotation, Quotations, quote, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, spirituality, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Did Sermon-Free Church Begin At Pentecost?

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Steve Simms

Sermon-Free Church — Did It Begin At Pentecost?  Thoughts for Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013 On Pentecost Sunday (May 19) the church in the Western world celebrates the beginning of sermon-free church. The events are recorded in Acts, chapter 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 2013, Acts, Apostle Peter, bishops, Christ followers, church, church history, church leader, church leadership, church meetings, coming of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, New Testament, non-church, non-church movement, non-liturgical, non-traditional church, one anothers, open church, open mike, openairs, organic church, origin of the church, overseers, participatory church, Peter, Peter preaching on Pentecost, praise, praising God, pray for one another, prayer, praying, preaching, preaching the Word, Roman, Roman Empire, sermon, sermon-free, sermons, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual church, the Western church, This was that., Western world | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Two Questions About Human Leadership Vs. The Spirit’s Leadership In Church

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Steve Simms

Here are two questions about church leadership for pastors and so-called laymen: Question #1: Who is the most capable church leader in the world? Answer: The living, resurrected Jesus Christ present in our midst when we gather in His name. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ followers, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church history, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, comfort, comfort zone, congregational, deciision making, decision-making, earn his keep, East Nashville, God's government, guidance, homes, house church, human leadership, improv, improvisation, laymen, Laymen's prayer revival, Music City, Nashville, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, order of worship, participatory church, pastor, religious ceremonies, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual leaders, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Church? Prevading Presence or Prearranged Program?

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church is the powerful and permeating Presence of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ; not just the mere presentation of a prearranged religious program. Church is a group of people actively engaging God; not a group passively listening to a talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church roles, church services, church structure, conformed, contemporary, contemporary society, corrupt culture, countercultural, do church, Do not conform, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, kingdom values, lecture, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, power, religious innovation, resurrection, sermon, sermons, Spirit-led, spiritual innovation, spiritual interaction, spiritual power, the way we do church, values | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Quantum Church Is A Leap Into Another Form Of Reality

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Quantum church, like quantum mechanics, is a leap into another form of reality.  Quantum physics studies the subatomic world of infinitesimally small particles and waves. The subatomic, quantum world operates differently than the world of clearly defined matter that we … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, angels, belief system, Bible, Biblical concept, brokenness, Catherine Booth, Catholic mystics, Christian, Christian community, Christian values, church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, devotion, ekklesia, faith, faith-based, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, guidance, Holy Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, inner peace, insight, inspiration, interactive, international movement, invisible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyles, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, nature of God, non-church movement, non-material reality, non-traditional church, order of worship, particles, quantum mechanics, Quantum physics, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relational church, relevation, religion, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, revelation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, self-denial, sharing, simple church, soul, soul food, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual warfare, spooky action, subatomic, submission, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, The Voice, Uncategorized, voice of God | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Have You Ever Been To Church?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is more than a structured meeting. Church is spiritual life flowing through a room – Something you and everyone present can feel.   Church is electricity in the air, An inner tingling, A sense of awe. A keen awareness … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, denominations, disciple making, disciples, electricity, faith, faith-based, fire of the Holy Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, God's government, Holy Spirit, house church, hymn, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, ministry, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, people of God, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, psalm, relational church, relevation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, The Salvation Army, worship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Should People Who Have Left Church Come Back? Or Try Something Different?

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

American churches are in decline, losing members.  In an attempt to slow or stop this decline a group called, National Back to Church Sunday,  has set a day for church members to invite their friends to come back to church.  … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 2012, alternative lifestyle, American, American church, American history, Americans, Apostle Paul, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, Christianity, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, evangelism, evangelistic meetings, followers of Christ, I Corinthians 14:26, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Take The Wheel, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, non-church movement, non-traditional church, organic church, participatory church, popular culture, post-Christianity, salvation, Salvationists, Savior, show and tell, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, testimonies, The Salvation Army, We serve a risen Savior | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

The Awesome Power Of Spiritual Interaction

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Steve Simms

*  One of the most powerful tools for personal transformation is spiritual interaction, openly sharing your faith, spiritual experiences, struggles, and concerns with others in a loving and compassionate environment.  (I have personally seen spiritual interaction produce life-changing results both … Continue reading →

Posted in AA, addiction, addictions, Alcoholics Anonymous, Berry Street, Christ followers, Christian, Christian history, Christian values, church, church history, church meetings, church programs, church roles, early church, His story, history, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, inspiration, Methodist class meeting, Methodists, missional, move of God, movement, NA, Narcotics Anonymous, Nashville, Neil Cole, non-church movement, open church, order of worship, organic church, participatory church, pentecostals, Quakers, religious ceremonies, Revelation 12:11, revival, sermon, sermons, simple church, sobriety, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, support group, the 12 Steps, The Salvation Army, the Walk to Emmaus, tradition, Tres Dias, unprogrammed church, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Can Real Love Disagree And/Or Disapprove?

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

Can real love disagree and/or disapprove?  Yes.  I know that it can.  If you read my blog, you know that I am willing to think in uncommon ways.  I have many ideas and some behaviors that are not commonly accepted … Continue reading →

Posted in 95 theses, anti-war, belief, church, denominations, disapproval, disdain, ethics, faith, faith-based, free spirit, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, hate, hate speech, heretic, house church, judgments, kindness, lifestyles, moral principles, morality, morals, non-church, non-church movement, organic church, outside the box, pacifism, pacifists, participatory church, political correctness, popular culture, post-Christianity, questions, relational church, revolution, self-control, sermon, sermons, simple church, speaking in tongues, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, thinking, vegetarianism, violence, war, What would Jesus do? | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments